The present invention relates to repairing damaged surfaces, particularly vehicle body surfaces. One common method for repairing such surfaces is to employ a putty to fill in holes and dents, followed by sanding the putty after it has dried and then painting. One problem with this very common method is that the putty tends to fall out due to vibration or rusting in the area around the putty, or both. Also, once an area of a vehicle begins to rust, adjacent areas tend to rust more quickly and it has done little good to have puttied one particular area.
Fiberglass cloth is sometimes used to repair larger areas, particularly where there are holes. A chemical adhesive is used which must be exposed to sunlight in order to harden. The fiberglass cloth is then coated with a putty, sanded and painted. This system is very difficult to work with and requires a fairly high degree of skill.
Another prior art method involves employing a piece of metal foil which is adhered to the surface to be repaired with an adhesive. It is difficult to insure that the foil will be smooth and this method is practical only over very small areas.
Sheet metal is sometimes used to repair large areas. It is difficult to secure the sheet metal to the vehicle body, with sheet metal screws usually being necessary and being difficult to conceal. Even then, the sheet metal must often be puttied over since it does not conform particularly well to the surface being repaired. If the sheet metal is bare, it has to be treated with acid prior to painting.
All in all, the processes available are quite difficult to use and are costly when done by a professional and not particularly good looking when done by an amateur.